Re: [GBW] Re: washing family documents

[Dorothy Africa <africa@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

    Tastes change and our knowledge advances, and both have led to the 
decrease in the washing and bleaching of older materials.  We certainly 
have some blood-curdling examples of zealous bleaching done a few 
decades ago which have deteriorated badly.  In defense of Talas and 
other suppliers, we cannot hold them responsible, I think, for anything 
more than being conscientious and frank with us about what they know 
about their products.    Many treatments that were routine even a decade 
ago are now known to be ill-advised or dangerous, so if we pool our 
information as in this instance we will all be better off.  As to 
bleaching, it is hard to justify purely for the sake of appearances.  
One can put lipstick on a pig, and get varying opinions (including the 
pig's) as to whether or not this is an improvement in the appearance of 
the pig.  However, no one is likely to claim the pig is now 
intrinsically a better pig than it was.    We usually do only dry 
surface cleaning of  our materials, with some spot cleaning as required, 
and as little washing as possible. 
Dorothy Africa

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